The following patents are all that are known to applicant and applicant's agent which would have any bearing on the patentability of the claims.
______________________________________ 2,714,326 McCarty 3,398,623 Smith 2,964,985 Webster 3,620,117 Rusch 3,085,460 Edwards ______________________________________
The patent to McCarty (U.S. Pat. No. 2,714,326) relates to a stringed musical instrument having pick-ups 8, 8 controlled by a switch 9 with tone and volume control elements 10 in body having finger pieces 13.
The patent to Webster (U.S. Pat. No. 2,964,985) relates to a string instrument having bass and treble pick-ups slidable within a body recess with volume and tone controls.
The patent to Edwards (U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,460) relates to an electric guitar having pick-ups 21,22 selected by means of a switch 31 actuated by a button 31a on the upper surface of the body remote from the strings.
The patent to Smith (U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,623) relates to a musical instrument having pick-ups 29,30 with associated bank of switches 31 and volume and tone control knobs 32,33.
The patent to Rusch (U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,117) relates to a manual vibrato for a stringed instrument in the form of a steel bar 38, spring loaded, with an actuating lever 50 for moving the bar relative to the strings.
None of these patents disclose applicant's simple structure as set forth in the claims and hence the claims are believed to be patentable. Copies of the references are enclosed.